Stephen King - Dollar Baby: The Book (paperback)
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Stephen King - Dollar Baby: The Book (paperback)

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ISBN  9781629336688

Stephen King Dollar Baby: The Book by Anthony Northrup

In the late 1970s, Stephen King had the idea of selling his short stories for ONE DOLLAR and a contract to let young filmmakers make their own films based on his works. After King’s approval, these films were only available for viewing at film festivals around the world. For the last forty-plus years and over hundreds of films made, The Dollar Baby program has made a serious impact not only on the Stephen King world, but the film industry itself.


Unfortunately, for Stephen King fans, unless you attended these film festivals, you basically would never be able to see them. In fact, most Stephen King fans have never even heard of the Dollar Baby program. Well, that’s where I come in. I have been interviewing Dollar Baby filmmakers and reviewing their films for eight years. During that time, not only have I also hosted two Dollar Baby Film fests at Crypticon Horror Con in Minnesota, but I also built a trust, a bond, and a friendship with all of the Dollar Baby community.

As a major Stephen King fan, I decided it was time to pull the curtain back and show the fans just what they have been missing. In this book, readers will learn all about the Dollar Baby program, fun facts, trivia, personal stories from the fans themselves, special guests contributors, essays, Where Are They Now?, 55 exclusive interviews with the Dollar Baby filmmakers and reviews of their films, and a whole lot more! I cover every possible angle of the Dollar Baby program and it’s all here to enjoy! So, sit back, relax, and get ready to go behind the exclusive curtain and prepare yourselves to enter...Stephen King Dollar Baby: The Book!

Derry Public Radio interviews Anthony Northrup, author of Stephen King Dollar Baby: The Book. Tune in as they discuss his book, Stephen King adaptations, the All Thinks King Facebook fan page, the Dollar Baby community as a whole, and King Fandom.


"If proof were needed that Stephen King is a god of some sort, consider this. In the 1970s, he decided that he would allow filmmakers to make movies of his short stories for a dollar. These were then shown around the world at film festivals.

"Anthony Northrup has undertaken the not inconsiderable task of compiling these efforts into a book, ‘Stephen King: Dollar Baby: The Book’. It’s a comprehensive look at the huge back catalogue of effort that many would be unaware of, even if they are a fan of Stephen King.

"Films have been made under the scheme for forty years and Northrop has been reviewing and hosting festivals of them for almost a decade.

"Part One is a series of essays about Stephen King and the influences he’s had on different people. They are all highly readable, some shorter than others. These are by writers, directors, and fans of King who has had a prolific output over the years and influenced the horror genre in stories and films.

"Part Two is all interviews with the directors of various ‘dollar baby’ films carried out in the last eight years by the author. There is some biographical detail and discussion around the chosen story, production, and other elements.

"The final chapter in this section is about the as yet uninterviewed Frank Darabont, who not only paid the first dollar, ultimately making the second film but went on to write three of the best-adapted screenplays of the novels of Stephen King, including ‘The Shawshank Redemption (everybody’s late-night watch) and then developed and co-wrote ‘The Walking Dead’ for television. Everybody wants to be Frank.

"Part Three ties up the book, with various lists and thoughts on those stories filmed already and those available currently under the scheme. There is some short thought by previous directors and there is a full chapter on what the directors have done since making their baby.

"This is a reality check on thinking this brush with movie-making leads onto fame and riches. It’s a sobering update when you see that life and commitments get in the way of your dreams.

"If you are interested in writing, directing, and in Stephen King, this is an interesting book that looks at process, motivation and offers some insight into the film-making world. It also highlights that King is a talented and generous author who makes the world a little bit better by his ‘pay it forward’ attitude."
- SFcrowsnest fantasy & science fiction magazine